Dupage Policy Journal

Diane Blair-Sherlock introduced HB3516 in the Illinois House on Feb. 7, 2025, during the general assembly session 104, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "Amends the Dual Credit Quality Act. Provides that prior to offering dual credit coursework, a school district shall attempt to enter into a partnership agreement with the community college district in the community college district in which the school district is located, but if pursuing an alternative provider other than the community college district, the school district shall enter into a partnership agreement with the alternative postsecondary institution that complies with the Act. Requires a partnership agreement to provide for a Dual Credit Qualifications Committee that shall develop a Dual Credit Instructor Qualification Framework. Provides that the Framework shall define the appropriate graduate coursework for fully qualified and minimally qualified instructors and the equivalent experience required to be a fully qualified career and technical education instructor. Requires a Model Dual Credit Instructor Qualification Framework to be developed through a Committee involving collaboration between the Illinois Community College Board and the State Board of Education by June 30, 2026. Provides that the academic credentials required to be a fully qualified instructor shall include either (i) a master's degree within the discipline to be taught or (ii) any master's degree and not more than 18 graduate hours appropriate to the academic field of study or in the discipline to be taught. Provides that a community college district with an established partnership agreement with a school district has 30 calendar days from the initial course request to notify the school district of its disapproval of the course request, instructor, course documentation, or the community college district's withdrawal of course or instructor approval, and thereafter, the school district shall appeal the denial or withdrawal of the instructor approval to the Illinois Community College Board within 14 calendar days after the disapproval notice. Allows the Illinois Community College Board to conduct a study to examine dual credit students and their short-term and long-term outcomes. Makes other changes."

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill amends the Dual Credit Quality Act to establish a framework for school districts to partner with local community college districts in offering dual credit courses. Before offering such coursework, a school district must attempt to form a partnership with the community college district. If choosing an alternative provider, the district must agree with an institution that complies with the Act. The bill requires the creation of a Dual Credit Qualifications Committee to develop a Dual Credit Instructor Qualification Framework, which will articulate necessary credentials for instructors. A Model Dual Credit Instructor Qualification Framework must be developed by June 30, 2026. The bill also outlines a process for partnership agreement disputes and allows the Illinois Community College Board to study dual credit students' outcomes. Additionally, it sets standards for dual credit courses and mandates partnerships' periodic assessments of student performance.

Diane Blair-Sherlock has proposed another 10 bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Blair-Sherlock graduated from College of DuPage in 1985 with an AA and again in 1987 from Northern Illinois University with a BS.

She also earned a JD from John Marshall Law School in 1993.

Diane Blair-Sherlock is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 46th House District. She replaced previous state representative Deborah Conroy in 2023.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
HB3516	02/07/2025	Amends the Dual Credit Quality Act. Provides that prior to offering dual credit coursework, a school district shall attempt to enter into a partnership agreement with the community college district in the community college district in which the school district is located, but if pursuing an alternative provider other than the community college district, the school district shall enter into a partnership agreement with the alternative postsecondary institution that complies with the Act. Requires a partnership agreement to provide for a Dual Credit Qualifications Committee that shall develop a Dual Credit Instructor Qualification Framework. Provides that the Framework shall define the appropriate graduate coursework for fully qualified and minimally qualified instructors and the equivalent experience required to be a fully qualified career and technical education instructor. Requires a Model Dual Credit Instructor Qualification Framework to be developed through a Committee involving collaboration between the Illinois Community College Board and the State Board of Education by June 30, 2026. Provides that the academic credentials required to be a fully qualified instructor shall include either (i) a master's degree within the discipline to be taught or (ii) any master's degree and not more than 18 graduate hours appropriate to the academic field of study or in the discipline to be taught. Provides that a community college district with an established partnership agreement with a school district has 30 calendar days from the initial course request to notify the school district of its disapproval of the course request, instructor, course documentation, or the community college district's withdrawal of course or instructor approval, and thereafter, the school district shall appeal the denial or withdrawal of the instructor approval to the Illinois Community College Board within 14 calendar days after the disapproval notice. Allows the Illinois Community College Board to conduct a study to examine dual credit students and their short-term and long-term outcomes. Makes other changes.
HB2986	02/06/2025	Amends the Holocaust and Genocide Commission Act to make changes concerning Commission members. Amends the School Code. Provides that the State Board of Education shall have departments (rather than divisions) within the State Board. Makes changes concerning block grants for Chicago. Removes language encouraging the State Superintendent of Education to establish a program of academic credit for Tech Prep work-based learning for secondary school students with an interest in pursuing such career training. With respect to a school district's required account audit, provides that the auditing firm for each school district shall file with the State Board the Annual Financial Report no later than February 15 following the end of each fiscal year and makes other changes. With respect to a school financial condition statement, removes language providing that any district from which a report is not received when required shall have its portion of the distributive fund withheld for the next ensuing year until the report is filed and makes other changes. Makes changes concerning a statement of affairs and a report on contracts. Removes language providing for enrollment of an English learner in a program in transitional bilingual education for a period of 3 years. Repeals provisions concerning: the Mathematics and Science Block Grant Program Article; rewards; the Reading Improvement Block Grant Program; the Continued Reading Improvement Block Grant Program; the School STEAM Grant Program; and civic education advancement. Makes conforming and other changes in the School Code and the Bikeway Act. Repeals the Illinois Summer School for the Arts Act and the Interagency Board for Children who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing and have an Emotional or Behavioral Disorder Act.
HB2568	02/04/2025	Amends the Illinois Trust Code. Requires a trustee to maintain, for a minimum of 7 years after the termination of the trust, a copy of the governing trust instrument under which the trustee was authorized to act at the time the trust terminated. Amends the Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act. Provides that property held in an account or plan, including a health savings account, that qualifies for tax deferral under the United States income tax law, is presumed abandoned 20 years after the account was opened. Requires State agencies to report final compensation due a State employee to the Treasurer's Office as unclaimed property if the employee dies while employed. Requires a holder who holds property presumed abandoned to hold the property in trust for the benefit of the State Treasurer on behalf of the owner from and after the date the property is presumed abandoned. Requires that the State Treasurer provide written notice to a State agency and the Governor's Office of Management and Budget of property presumed to be abandoned and allegedly owned by the State agency before it can be escheated to the State's General Revenue Fund if the property remains unclaimed after one year. Creates authority for the Secretary of the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to order a regulated person under the Act to immediately report and remit property subject to the Act if the Secretary determines that the action is necessary to protect the interest of an owner. Establishes a procedure regulating agreements between an owner or apparent owner and a finder to locate or recover property held by the State Treasurer. Requires a finder to be licensed by the State Treasurer and creates qualifications to be so licensed. Makes definitions. Makes other changes. The Treasurer is authorized to adopt rules as necessary to implement the Act. Effective immediately.
HB2700	02/04/2025	Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that not less than 50% (rather than 75%) of the amounts collected by a municipality within DuPage County pursuant to the municipal hotel operators' occupation tax and municipal hotel use tax shall be used to promote tourism within that municipality. Effective immediately.
HB2422	01/31/2025	Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Sets forth findings and definitions. Provides that the Department of Insurance is authorized to enter into a contract with a private insurance broker to establish an Owner-Controlled Insurance Program. Provides that the Owner-Controlled Insurance Program shall provide specified forms of insurance, if applicable, to construction contractors for the purpose of satisfying requirements to contract with a construction agency. Requires the Department to comply with the Illinois Procurement Code when procuring a contract for an Owner-Controlled Insurance Program. Provides that a contract between the Department and an insurance broker for the provision of an Owner-Controlled Insurance Program shall not exceed 5 years in duration. Provides that all tiers of construction contractors shall be eligible to obtain any form of insurance required to contract with a construction agency for the purposes of satisfying the insurance obligations necessary to execute a construction contract for a construction agency. Effective immediately.
HB0061	01/09/2025	Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that each tax bill shall include a statement of the dollar amount of the taxpayer's total tax bill that is attributable to a ballot initiative or referendum and the date on which each property tax-related change made by that ballot initiative or referendum will expire. Effective immediately.
HB0066	01/09/2025	Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Establishes that a motor vehicle owner shall provide a liability policy and every such policy or bond is subject, if the motor vehicle crash has resulted in bodily injury or death, to a limit, exclusive of interest and costs, of not less than $50,000 (rather than $25,000) because of bodily injury to or death of any one person in any one motor vehicle crash and, subject to said limit for one person, to a limit of not less than $100,000 (rather $50,000) because of bodily injury to or death of 2 or more persons in any one motor vehicle crash, and, if the motor vehicle crash has resulted in injury to or destruction of property, to a limit of not less than $40,000 (rather than $20,000). Requires a motor vehicle owner or any person that maintains, uses, or operates a motor vehicle to furnish proof of financial responsibility in the amounts provided. Establishes that a judgment arising out of a motor vehicle crash is deemed satisfied once the specified policy amount is credited toward the judgment. Effective immediately.
HB0067	01/09/2025	Amends the Common Interest Community Association Act. Provides that an association may not prohibit a law enforcement officer or a firefighter who is a parcel owner, or who is a tenant, guest, or invitee of a parcel owner, from parking his or her assigned law enforcement vehicle or firefighter vehicle in an area where the parcel owner, or the tenant, guest, or invitee of the parcel owner, otherwise has a right to park.
HB0068	01/09/2025	Creates the Bottled Drinking Water Sales Act. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2026, an entertainment venue operating in the State shall not charge more than specified amounts for bottled drinking water. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2031, and every 5 years thereafter, the Attorney General shall adjust the rates by the average of the annual percentage increase or decrease in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers as issued by the United States Department of Labor from the previous 5 years. Provides that an entertainment venue that violates the Act is subject to a civil penalty of not more than an amount equal to 10% of the total ticket sales from the entertainment event at which the violation occurred. Provides that the Attorney General may bring an action to enforce the collection of any civil penalty. Defines terms. Effective January 1, 2026.
HB0069	01/09/2025	Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, for taxable years 2025 and thereafter, the maximum income limitation for the Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption is $75,000 for all qualified property. Effective immediately.
HB0070	01/09/2025	Amends the Property Tax Code. Increases the amount of the homestead exemption for persons with disabilities from $2,000 to $4,000 beginning in tax year 2025. Effective immediately.